Songs to Listen to During Golden Week [Drive BGM and Relaxing Day-Off Tunes]
Golden Week, the long holiday spanning from the end of April to the beginning of May.
Many of you probably look forward to it every year, don’t you?
It’s a valuable time to refresh—going on trips or taking a slightly longer drive than usual.
However, going out means travel time, and during the holidays the roads get terribly congested…
So in this article, we’ll introduce a selection of songs perfect for Golden Week to keep you company on your drive.
They work great as BGM while traveling, and there are also tracks that let you relax and soak up the holiday mood—so be sure to check them out!
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Songs to Listen to During Golden Week [Driving BGM and Relaxing Day-Off Tunes] (41–50)
Romantic Flightkome kome CLUB
No introduction needed—this is a mega-hit by Kome Kome Club that remains a staple in Japanese pop music.
It’s been used in lots of TV dramas and commercials, so it doesn’t feel that old, but it was actually released in 1990.
Most memorable of all was the JAL Okinawa campaign commercial, where the Kome Kome Club members march in a mysterious procession in a place that looks like heaven.
Let this Okinawa-evoking song hype up your Golden Week trip to Okinawa! Of course, it’s also perfect for any trip that involves flying, so it’s highly recommended for destinations beyond Okinawa too!
Songs to Listen to During Golden Week [Drive BGM and Relaxation Tunes] (51–60)
rainbowAqua Timez
Released in 2008 as Aqua Timez’s sixth single.
The song was used as the theme for the Nippon TV drama Gokusen: Season 3, and it reached No.
2 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.
It’s a fresh, positive track that carries the message that “after overcoming hardship, joy will surely await.”
Around The WorldMONKEY MAJIK
MONKEY MAJIK, all of whose members still live in Sendai, is a rock band made up of Canadian brothers and two Japanese members.
The group debuted in 2006, and Around The World is their second single.
Chosen as the theme song for the drama Journey to the West (Saiyuki), it was the track that brought MONKEY MAJIK to widespread attention.
Its lively, Chinese-influenced intro is striking and is sure to liven up a fun holiday.
Messenger from Sunday↑THE HIGH-LOWS↓
Do you know the show Aiseki Shokudo, hosted by the comedy duo Chidori? It’s a Kansai local program, so people in the Kanto area might not be familiar with it, but it has won a special prize at the TVer Awards two years in a row.
The song that always plays at the end of the VTR segments in the show is Sunday Morning Messenger.
If you’re from Kansai and hear this song, you’ll say, “Oh, that’s the Aiseki Shokudo song.” Whether the VTR is heartwarming, nerve-racking, or laugh-out-loud funny, this song brings it all together perfectly at the end.
It’s truly a brilliant song choice.
If you end up sharing a table with someone at a crowded restaurant during Golden Week, remember this song!
Tattayuzu
It was released in 2017 as a digital-only single by Yuzu.
The song was chosen as the 2017 theme for Fuji TV’s variety show “Mecha-Mecha Iketeru!” and features the “Tatta Dance,” choreographed by world-renowned dancer Kent Mori, which the show’s cast and Yuzu dance to together.
It’s a playful track whose gentle yet powerful lyrics encourage listeners, making it a notable song to watch for its message as well.
DriveKetsumeishi
Ketsumeishi’s classic track “Drive” feels open and pleasant—a song that, when you listen to it while driving a car or riding a motorcycle, lifts your mood and puts you in even higher spirits.
As we move past winter into Golden Week, when it’s perfect for touring on a bike, this feels like the ideal anthem to make those special moments even more exciting.
Its snappy rhythm is excellent, and it’s a number you can enjoy with a liberating feeling, like a refreshing breeze.
HAPPYSandaime Jē Sōru Burazāzu fromu Eguzairu Toraibu
Released in 2017 as the 21st single by Sandaime J Soul Brothers from EXILE TRIBE.
It was chosen as the theme song for the Nippon TV Saturday drama “Super Salaryman Mr.
Saenai.” The lyrics carry the message: “Shake off all the negativity hidden in your heart, let’s have fun together and be happy, and carve out our future!” It’s a disco-style, high-energy track that everyone can sing and dance to.